Roof structure



W. F. BALLINGER AND C. H. SHIV ROOF STRUCTURE. APPLICATION HLEU mu 3!, ms.

Patented July 27, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET C. H. SHJVERS.

W. F BMUNGER AWE ROOF STRUCT AFPLICATIIJN HLED HR! 31 Patented July 27, 1920.

. H. SHWERS.

W. F. BALUNGER AND C ROOF STRUCTURE. APPLICATION mm mm 31.1919.

4 SHEETS-SHET 3.

Patented July 27, 1920.

W. F. BALLINGER AND C. H. SHIVERS. ROOF smucnma 1,347,669. APPLICA'HUN HLEU JULY 3!, I919. 27,

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UNITEDSTA'llES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER I. BALi INGER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CLIFFORD H. BHIVEBS, OI WOODBURY, NEW J EBSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 BALLINGER & PERBOTT, O]? PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A FIRM COMPOSED OF WALTER I. BAL- LING-EB AND EMILE G. PERROTT.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatfwe, Wanrnn F. BALLIN- can, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadel hia, county of Philadelphia, and State 0 f Pennsylvania, andCnmronn H SHIVERS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Woodbury, county of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Roof Structures, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that type of roofing known as saw-tooth construction, and has for its object the provision of special means whereby the usual and heretofore necessary walls, piers, or posts for support may be largely eliminated to rovide greatly lessened obstruction within t e room space of the building.

Heretofore it has been customary in buildings having roofs of saw-tooth construction to provide a plurality of supporting-walls, piers, or posts along the longitudinal junctures and below the transverse gutter elements of the respective tooth portions of the roof structure as a whole, and while the saw-tooth construction of roofs with their oblique sash for light and ventilation are most excellent and eflic'ient' for industrial plants as well as being relatively low in here has been considerable objection to their use on account of the lar e number of points of support which has eretofore been required for stability and which necessitated upright walls, posts, 'or piers distributed throughout the room space beneath the roof, said walls, posts or iers interfering very materially with the istribution of machinery and also with the freedom of movement within the room space, such as would be required in automobile stations and those characters of industrial plants where the transference of merchandise and stock is constantly being re uired.

a We have foundthat' yspecial construc tion, comprehending the tying together of the several-ridges of the saw-tooth structures. of the roof, by" means of longitudinal upper compression chordsin the form of girders rigidly fastenedto each of the rid es of the saw-tooth roof section, coupled i wit corresponding tie tension-chord memv Specification of Letters Patent.

' here at the base of the roof trusses and transverse trussed PatentedJuly 27, 1920.

i 1 Application med July 31, 1919. Serial No. 314,526.

deep girders respectively at the hi portion of each saw-tooth section (to w ich the com ression and tension chords are connectedl for providin great transverse widthof span, we are one led to convert what has heretofore been a weal: sectional construction, requiring a lar number of under supports intermediate of the four corners, into a rigid self-supporting unitary structure, having great strength both longitudinally and transversely, whereb all supports, excepting those at the imme iate corners, may be eliminated. We have further found that by reason of the reduction of cost, due to the'elimination of many of the numerous supports heretofore necessary, we can very materially cheapen the total cost of construction of a buildin while maintaining the strength of its moi; and further obtain-the additional advantage of elimination of the obstructing supports heretofore deemed necessary throughout the room space.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construction of roofs for buildin 's, as hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a building embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective skeleton view intended to illustrate the general girder'structures employed in the building shown in Fig. 1; Fi 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating a building having a roof embodying our in vcntion; Fig. 4 is a similar section of a portion of Fig. 3 on a larger scale; Fig. 5 is a transverse elevation of the roof girders at one end of the building; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the longitudinal chords and the means of connection with the truss and girder structures of the saw-tooth portions of the roof.

building having a saw-tooth roof structure tended (in a In these figures, 2 represents a plurality of saw-tooth roof sections which are ar ranged side by side in series and provide the solid roof portions 3 and the sash portions 4, which furnish light to the interior and suitable means for ventilation. This roof structure has been made of a width to span from wall to wall or from the walls to intermediate posts, according to the total width necessary. In the particular illustration, we have indicated a width of building which would approximate two complete sawtooth roofs joined side to side to widen the covering of the building. At the juncture. between the inclined roof portions 3 and the inclined sash portions 4; there are arranged transverse gutters 5 and the vertical thickness of the framing at these gutter points have been exceedingly small, so that there was no strength against bending at these places. For this reason, it has heretofore been necessary to provide, not only un der the four corners of the roof, suitable supporting posts or piers, but it has also been necessary to place walls, piers or posts immediately under the said portions of the roof structure in alinement with the gut ters 5, so that in realityeach of the sawtooth ortions of the entire roof have at least our points of support. When the width is doubled, then it has been heretofore necessary not only to provide the outer walls and the outer posts or piers 6, but also to provide additional walls, piers or posts within the building and within the room space under each gutter portion where the duplicate roof structures are joined.

In the roof structure as heretofore employed, it has been necessary not only to provide the posts or positive means of sup.- port at the parts marked 6 in Fig. 2, but also at the points marked 6 in said figure, from which it will be seen that in a small roof, having only three saw-tooth sections in length and of a double width, there is required six additional posts or piers or means of support, or double the number which is required in the construction which is embodied in. our present invention. The great advantage of this elimination of the intermediate supports is apparent from the fact that the room space iskept reasonably clear of obstructions and a very material economy in construction is also insured.

Referring again to Fig. 2, which is indiagrammatic manner) to main features of' the truss will be seen that the roof is made up of the lowerchords 13, the upper chords 9, the transverse trussed irders 1.0 which come immediately back of the sash portions 4, and the intermediate substantially triangular trusses 12 which directly support the solid roof portions '3. In this diagramwe have only illustrated three of illustrate the construction, it

these intermediate trusses 12 in the transverse width of the roof in any saw-tooth section thereof, but it is to be understood that any desired number of'these intermediate trusses me be employed according to the width of tie building and the roofing weight to be sustained.

As before stated, the general form of the sawtooth roof is old and well known and the improvementsconstituting our invention are more particularly directed to the provision of the longitudinal uiper compressive chords 9 which are rigic ly secured to the upper parts of the saw-tooth truss sections 12 and preferably to the peaks or ridges thereof and also in employing lower chords 13 which are continuous, mechanically, throughout the total base length of the corresponding series of saw-tooth truss sections, the lower chords acting as ties or tension members, while the upper chords 9 act as struts or compressive members. It is manifest that while the best results will be obtained by arranging the top chords 9 to connect with the peaks or ridges of the roof structure, as shown at 16,

nevertheless, it will suffice for the said chords to be connected with the saw-tooth truss sections 12 at a reasonable distance below the peaks or ridgesof the roof, so long as the compression strains are properly sustained and the necessary rigidity insured. It will further be seen that the triangular relation of the intermediate trusses 12 and the transverse trussed girders 10 with the upper compressive chords 9 and the lower tension chords 13, provides a most rigidconstruction, longitudinally considered, and which will insure the plurality of saw-tooth sections being self-supporting intermediate of the front and rear ends thereof; that is-to say, all intermediate posts under the gutter portions 5 may be eliminated.

In Fig. lyt-he walls of the building at T and 8 maybe of the lightest construction and if desired almost entirely of sash, as it is not necessary that there shall be any posts in the entire structure except at the four corners. If the building is of very great width or equivalent to double the usual width as commonly employed, then and in that event it may be desirable to place two additional posts 6, one intermediate of the front corner posts and the other intermediate of the rear corner posts, as is indicated in Fig.2. In this construction, the

transverse trussed girders 10 of the several paused with and reliance placed upon the outer chords 9 together with a sufficient strength of the transverse trussed girders 10. If, however, it is desired to double the width of the building or make it materially wider than the normal width between the usual rows of supports, then the transverse trusses may be so combined with an upper intermediate chord 9 and a lower intermediate tie chord 13 that ample strength may be provided for the roof load without any intermediate supports in the room space below, and in fact, if desired, even at the end of the building intermediate of the corner posts. This, however, is not a material requirement in connection with the outer walls of the building, but where the saw tooth construction is to be repeated longitudinally for great lengths, several hundred feet or more, then it is desirable to reduce to a minimum any of the post supports which would objectionably obstruct the room space. It is, of course, to be kept in mind that where it is cheaper to introduce a reasonable number of intermediate supports in' a wide room, and by so doing reduce the vertical height of the transverse trusses 10 with a correspondingcheapening in cost, such modification would be dictated by the en ineering necessities of the case.

eferring more in detail to the construction employed in the making up of our improved roof, we have illustrated in Fig. 3 a full length roof of three saw-tooth sections in which there are no supportingposts intermediate of the end posts 6 in the room R, whereas inthe former constructions there would have been posts or equiva lent means of support adjacent to the points 14- below the gutters 5. As before stated, 2 represents the saw-tooth structure, 3 the cement or other solid roof covering, and 4 the sash structure. The roof structures 3 are supported upon a lurality of ii1termcdiate trusses 12 whic are triangular in shape and suitably braced or trussed to provide rigidity; these trusses having the oblique beams 12 upon which the roof proper is supported and the bottom chords 13. In the case of the trusses 12, which are at the extreme outer portions or ends of the roof sections 3, their bottom chords 13 are continued in tie members 13 which extend over and connect with the end of the bottom chord 13 of the next intermediate truss section 12 and so on, so that the bottom chord formed bythe parts 13 and 13 may be continuous structurally and act as the bottom or tension chord for the whole length of the building comprised in the said three saw-tooth sections. his same condition would be maintained, if the length provided more or less saw-tooth sections, according to requirements. While the parts 13 constitute portions of the intermediate trusses 12, the continuance thereof, 13, extending between the point 15 of the one intermediate truss and the oint 14 of the next intermediate truss (o the next sawtooth section), constitutes a tie which is an essential part of our improvement. The construction just described is provided at both extreme sides of the building and also intermediate of those sides, when considering a building of the character illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, but in addition to the intermediate trusses 12 so provided, there may, if desired, be an additional number of such trusses desi ned solely for the support of the roof and having no connection by members 13 to the next corresponding intermediate truss; thou h where a heavy superstructure is required for wei hty shafting and other special means, additional tie sections 13" may be employed as preferred. It will be manifest that where the saw-tooth roof was supported upon posts at points 1%, as well as at the ends, as heretofore employed, it was not essential that tie members 13' be employed, because in such former construction the lower end of each of oblique girders 12was supported upon a post, while the upper end was connected at 16 with the upper part of the transverse girders 10 back of the sash 4 and was supportedby said transverse girders, which, in their turn, were also supported upon the posts at the points 14 and at the right hand extreme end of the building (Fig. 3).

When constructing the saw-tooth roofstructure with the embodiment of our improvements, the lower continuous tension chords l3 and 13 may be of continuous girder forms, asillustrated, and the same riveted by plate 17 to the lower parts of the 0 transverse trussed girders 10 and oblique girders 12, as more fully shown in Fig.

4; and similarly the upper portions of the intermediate trusses 12 may be provided with plates 16 by which they are. riveted to the n upper portions of the transverse trussed girders 10 and to the lon itudinal upper compression chords 9. he transverse trussed girders 10 may be of the construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the same com- 5 posed of top and bottom chords, vertical posts and oblique tie members to give vertical rigidity coupled with the desired span and permit the passage of ii lit. The upper chord members 9 may be bui t up of a num- 120 ber of girder sections, as more fully illustrated in Fig.6, the same comprising three channel girders, two of which, 18, 1S,*are secured back to back upon the top plates 16, aforesaid, and the third, 19, resting hori- 125 zontall upon the top flange of the girders 18 and riveted thereto and with the end flanges projectin downwardly. Wedo not limit ourselves, owever, to the particular cross section or make up of these top chords 130 built up 19, but illustrate what we believe to be a girder suitable for the purposes herein described.

It will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6, that the two transverse trussed girder sections 10, 10, are abutted upon the plate 16 at the top and plate 17 at thebottoin and riveted thereto, so as to. constitute practically a continuous transverse trussed girder which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be supported at the ends only by the corner posts 6, 6. In the case of the ir der at the extreme front end of the buil ing, the said girder, com posed of the sections or parts 10, 10, may have an additional support immediately below the middle top chord 9, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 2. In the case of the other transverse trussed girders 10, they would be supported upon the tie members 15, 15 and would not require any under support in the form of posts or piers. It is evident, however, that should there be any excessive overhead loads required to be carried, posts may be introduced below the transverse girders in a vertical plane below the middle upper chord9.

It will be understood that where the span of each of the saw-tooth structures along the tie members 13, 13 is to be greater than the normal span, then the height of the trussed irder portions 10 may be increased or rell'lfOI'CGdtO rovide support for the correspondingly increased intermediate girder 12; and similarly where'the transverse width of the roof structure is to be increased be yond that which has normally been the oractice, this increase in the vertical heig it of the transverse girder 10 will be utilized to bridge the greater transverse distance required; and where the distance is to be very great, the said transverse girders 10 may be materially strengthened in manners well known in roof truss construction, and we, therefore, do not limit ourselves to the minor details.

Where the inclined roof structure 3 for any reason is re uired to carry an abnormal load or where t ere is excessive load upon the tie members 13, the intermediate trusses may be strengthened by the addition of vertical ties 18 respectively extending downward from the top chords 9 and connecting with the roof or the oblique chords 12 of the intermediate truss 12, as indicated in Fig. 4.. Under ordinary practice, these tie members 18 need not be employed.

From the construction above described, it will be seen that all of the truss work comprising the roofing structure is contained within the building. and protected from outside weather conditions with the single exception of the top chords 9 which, however, are simple in construction and which may be made of a form (Fig. 6) which will readily shed rain and easily protect itself against spirit or scope weather conditions. Considerin the truss work shown in Fig. 3 as constltuting the main truss, it will be seen that the transverse trussed girders 10 act as strut members between the top compression chords 9 and the lower tension chordsv 13, 13, whereas the intermediate roof trusses l2 constitute diagonal bracing which, as composite members, might be considered more properly as tension members in the case of the two sawtooth sections to the right of Fig. 3, whereas the truss members 12 at the extreme left of Fig. 3 would constitute truss members of the whole roof.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings the embodiment thereof which is at present preferred by us, since the same is in the form which we have found in practies to give satisfactory and reliable results, but it is to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to the details, as the same are susceptible in modification in various particulars without departing from the of the invention.

Having now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An improved-roof of saw-tooth construction, comprising a plurality of parallel trussed sections providing saw-tooth framing along the length of the building for supporting oblique roof covering portions and upright sash portions, said sawtootli framing having a plurality of parallel tension chord members extending throughout the entire length of the. roof. structure at its base and supported at their ends, and a plurality of longitudinal compression chord members at a higher elevation than the tension chord members and rigidly secured to the upper portions of the framing of the several saw-tooth members and located above the main level of the roof covering and sash portions, combined with transverse trussed girders respectively extending along the high sash portion of each saw-tooth section and each having its upper ortion secured to the compression chor members and its lower portion secured to the tension chord members and operating to support the roof transversely over great widths, and supports for the ends of the tension chord members.

2. A roof of the saw-tooth type, comprising a plurality of Saw-tooth truss structures each provided with a transverse truss supporting glazed sash, said truss of a depth substantially equal to the maximum depth of the saw-tooth structures, oblique members supporting the oblique roof covering and sustained at their upper ends upon the transverse truss, a plurality of horizontal tie members of the plurality of saw-tooth truss structures united to form continuous lower tension chord members longitudinally of the entire roof structure and supporting the lower ends of the oblique members, combined with a plurality of longitudinal compression chord members arranged above the roof of the saw-tooth truss structures and securely attached to the respective upper portions thereof and to their transverse trusses to positively connect said saw-tooth truss structures and hold their upper portions apart in a direction with respect to the length of the roof, said tension and compression chord members spaced apart laterally with respect to the transverse trusses and secured respectively to the lower and upper portions thereof.

3. An improved roof of saw-tooth construction which comprises a plurality of parallel truss forms providing saw-tooth framing for supporting the roof covering portions and upright sash, the framing for supporting the sash consisting of rectangular open-mesh trussedgirders respectively arranged transversely at the high portions of each of the saw-tooth sections in the roof and supporting it intermediate of its ends against sagging, tension chord members ex tending longitudinally of the roof at its bot tom portion for its full length, combined with longitudinal upper compression chord members arranged above the main portion of saw-tooth roof portions and secured to the framing thereof including the upper portions of the transverse open-mesh trussed girders, and supports for the front and rear ends of the roof.

4. In a saw-tooth roof structure, longitudinal truss framing, comprising upper compression chords, lower tension chords, dee transverse trussed girders spaced apart and secured at their lower portions to the tension chords and at their up er ortions to the compression chords, a plum ity of oblique intermediate roof supporting trusses of general triangular form secured at their upper portions to the transverse trussed girders and at their bottom portions to the tension chords, oblique roof covering sup orted by the oblique intermediate trusses elow the compression chords, and sash covering secured to the transverse trussed girders intermediate of the compression and tension chords, the transverse trussed girders acting as compression members to the corresponding compression and tension chords and to provide a wide transverse span of roof and the oblique intermediate trusses acting as tension members in those portions of the roof below the compression chords.

In testimony of which invention, we hereunto set our hands.

WALTER F. BALLINGER. CLIFFORD H. SHIVERS. 

